Know thou that in every age and dispensation all divine ordinances are
changed and transformed according to the requirement of the time, except
the law of love, which, like a fountain, always flows and is never
overtaken by change.--BAHA'U'LLAH.
Monastic Life
Baha'u'llah, like Muhammad, forbids His followers to lead lives of
monastic seclusion.
In the Tablet to Napoleon III we read:--
O concourse of monks! Seclude not yourselves in churches and
cloisters. Come forth by My leave, and occupy yourselves with that
which will profit your souls and the souls of men.... Enter ye
into wedlock, that after you someone may fill your place. We have
forbidden you perfidious acts, and not that which will demonstrate
fidelity. Have ye clung to the standards fixed by your own selves,
and cast the standards of God behind your backs? Fear God, and be
not of the foolish. But for man, who would make mention of Me on
My earth, and how could My attributes and My name have been
revealed? Ponder ye, and be not of them that are veiled and fast
asleep. He that wedded not (Jesus) found no place wherein to dwell
or lay His head, by reason of that which the hands of the
treacherous had wrought. His sanctity consisteth not in that which
ye believe or fancy, but rather in the things We possess. Ask,
that ye may apprehend His station which hath been exalted above
the imaginings of all that dwell on earth. Blessed are they who
perceive it.
Does it not seem strange that Christian sects should have instituted the
monastic life and celibacy for the clergy, in view of the facts that
Christ chose married men for His disciples, and both He Himself and His
apostles lived lives of active beneficence, in close association and
familiar intercourse with the people?
In the Muhammadan Qur'an we read:--
To Jesus the son of Mary We gave the Gospel, and We put into the
hearts of those who followed Him kindness and compassion: but as
to the monastic life, they invented it themselves. The desire only
of pleasing god did We prescribe to them, and this they observed
not as it ought to have been observed.--Qur'an, s. lviii. 27.
Whatever justification there may have been for the monastic life in
ancient times and bygone circumstances, Baha'u'llah declares that such
justification no longer exists; and, indeed, it seems obvious that the
withdrawal of a large number of the most pious and God-fearing of the
population from association with their fellows, and from the duties and
responsibilities of parenthood, must result in the spiritual
impoverishment of the race.
Marriage
The Baha'i teachings enjoin monogamy, and Baha'u'llah makes marriage
conditional on the consent of both parties and of their parents. He says
in the Book of Aqdas:--
Verily in the Book of Bayan (the Bab's Revelation) the matter is
restricted to the consent of both (bride and bridegroom). As We
desired to bring about love and friendship and the unity of the
people, therefore We made it conditional upon the consent of the
parents also, that enmity and ill-feeling might be
avoided.--Kitab-i-Aqdas.
On this point 'Abdu'l-Baha wrote to an inquirer:--"As to the question of
marriage, according to the law of God: First you must select one, and then
it depends on the consent of the father and mother. Before your selection
they have no right of interference."
'Abdu'l-Baha says that as a result of this precaution of Baha'u'llah's the
strained relations between relatives-in-law which have become proverbial
in Christian and Muhammadan countries are almost unknown among the
Baha'is, and divorce is also of very rare occurrence. He writes on the
subject of matrimony:--
Baha'i marriage is union and cordial affection between the two
parties. They must, however, exercise the utmost care and become
acquainted with each other's character. This eternal bond should
be made secure by a firm covenant, and the intention should be to
foster harmony, fellowship and unity and to attain everlasting
life....
In a true Baha'i marriage the two parties must become fully united
both spiritually and physically, so that they may attain eternal
union throughout all the worlds of God, and improve the spiritual
life of each other. This is Baha'i matrimony.
The Baha'i marriage ceremony is very simple, the only requirement being
that the groom and the bride, in the presence of at least two witnesses,
each say: "We will all, verily, abide by the Will of God."
Divorce
In the matter of divorce, as in that of marriage, the instructions of the
Prophets have varied in accordance with the circumstances of the times.
'Abdu'l-Baha states the Baha'i teaching, with regard to divorce, thus:--
The friends (Baha'is) must strictly refrain from divorce unless
something arises which compels them to separate because of their
aversion for each other; in that case, with the knowledge of the
Spiritual Assembly, they may decide to separate. They must then be
patient and wait one complete year. If during this year harmony is
not reestablished between them, then their divorce may be
realized.... The foundation of the Kingdom of God is based upon
harmony and love, oneness, relationship and union, not upon
differences, especially between husband and wife. If one of these
two become the cause of divorce, that one will unquestionably fall
into great difficulties, will become the victim of formidable
calamities and experience deep remorse. (Tablet to the Baha'is of
America).
In the matter of divorce, as in other matters, Baha'is will, of course, be
bound not only by the Baha'i teaching, but also by the laws of the country
in which they live.
The Baha'i Calendar
Among different peoples and at different times many different methods have
been adopted for the measurement of time and fixing of dates, and several
different calendars are still in daily use, e.g., the Gregorian in Western
Europe, the Julian in many countries of Eastern Europe, the Hebrew among
the Jews, and the Muhammadan in Muslim communities.
The Bab signalized the importance of the dispensation which He came to
herald, by inaugurating a new calendar. In this, as in the Gregorian
Calendar, the lunar month is abandoned and the solar year is adopted.
The Baha'i year consists of 19 months of 19 days each (i.e. 361 days),
with the addition of certain "Intercalary Days" (four in ordinary and five
in leap years) between the eighteenth and nineteenth months in order to
adjust the calendar to the solar year. The Bab named the months after the
attributes of God. The Baha'i New Year, like the ancient Persian New Year,
is astronomically fixed, commencing at the March equinox (usually March
21), and the Baha'i era commences with the year of the Bab's declaration
(i.e. 1844 A.D., 1260 A.H.).
In the not far distant future it will be necessary that all peoples in the
world agree on a common calendar.
It seems, therefore, fitting that the new age of unity should have a new
calendar free from the objections and associations which make each of the
older calendar unacceptable to large sections of the world's population,
and it is difficult to see how any other arrangement could exceed in
simplicity and convenience that proposed by the Bab.
The months in the Baha'i Calendar are as follows:
*Arabic Name* *Translation* *First Days*
1st Baha Splendor March 21
2nd Jalal Glory April 9
3rd Jamal Beauty April 28
4th 'Azamat Grandeur May 17
5th Nur Light June 5
6th Rahmat Mercy June 24
7th Kalimat Words July 31
8th Kamal Perfection Aug. 1
9th Asma' Names Aug. 20
10th 'Izzat Might Sept. 8
11th Ma_sh_iyyat Will Sept. 27
12th 'Ilm Knowledge Oct.16
13th Qudrat Power Nov. 4
14th Qawl Speech Nov. 23
15th Masa'il Questions Dec. 12
16th _Sh_araf Honor Dec. 31
17th Sultan Sovereignty Jan. 19
18th Mulk Dominion Feb. 7
Intercalary Feb. 26 to
Days March 1,
inclusive.
19th 'Ala Loftiness March 2
Spiritual Assemblies
Before 'Abdu'l-Baha completed His earthly mission, He had laid a basis for
the development of the administrative order established in Baha'u'llah's
Writings. To show the high importance to be attributed to the institution
of the Spiritual Assembly, 'Abdu'l-Baha in a tablet declared that a
certain translation must be approved by the Spiritual Assembly of Cairo
before publication, even though He Himself had reviewed and corrected the
text.
By Spiritual Assembly is meant the administrative body of nine persons,
elected annually by each local Baha'i community, in which is vested the
authority of decision on all matters of mutual action on the part of the
community. This designation is temporary, since in future the Spiritual
Assemblies will be termed Houses of Justice.
Unlike the organization of churches, these Baha'i bodies are social rather
than ecclesiastical institutions. That is, they apply the law of
consultation to all questions and difficulties arising between Baha'is,
who are called upon no to carry them to the civil court, and seek to
promote unity as well as justice throughout the community. The Spiritual
Assembly is in no wise equivalent to the priest or clergy, but is
responsible for upholding the teachings, stimulating active service,
conducting meetings, maintaining unity, holding Baha'i property in trust
for the community, and representing it in its relations to the public and
to other Baha'i communities.
The nature of the Spiritual Assembly, local and national, is described
more fully in the section devoted to the Will and Testament of
'Abdu'l-Baha in the final chapter, but its general functions have been
defined by Shoghi Effendi as follows:--
The matter of Teaching, its direction, its ways and means, its
extension, its consolidation, essential as they are to the
interests of the Cause, constitute by no means the only issue
which should receive the full attention of these Assemblies. A
careful study of Baha'u'llah's and 'Abdu'l-Baha's Tablets will
reveal that other duties, no less vital to the interests of the
Cause, devolve upon the elected representatives of the friends in
every locality.
It is incumbent upon them to be vigilant and cautious, discreet
and watchful, and protect at all times the Temple of the Cause
from the dart of the mischief-maker and the onslaught of the
enemy.
They must endeavor to promote amity and concord amongst the
friends, efface every lingering trace of distrust, coolness and
estrangement from every heart, and secure in its stead an active
and whole-hearted cooperation for the service of the Cause.
They must do their utmost to extend at all times the helping hand
to the poor, the sick, the disabled, the orphan, the widow,
irrespective of color, caste and creed.
They must promote by every means in their power the material as
well as the spiritual enlightenment of youth, the means for the
education of children, institute, whenever possible, Baha'i
educational institutions, organize and supervise their work and
provide the best means for their progress and development....
They must undertake the arrangement of the regular meetings of the
friends, the feasts and the anniversaries, as well as the special
gatherings designed to serve and promote the social, intellectual
and spiritual interests of their fellow-men.
They must supervise in these days when the Cause is still in its
infancy all Baha'i publications and translations, and provide in
general for a dignified and accurate presentation of all Baha'i
literature and its distribution to the general public.
The possibilities inherent in Baha'i institutions can only be estimated
when one realizes how rapidly modern civilization is disintegrating for
lack of that spiritual power which can alone supply the necessary attitude
of responsibility and humility to the leaders and the requisite loyalty to
the individual members of society.
Baha'i Feasts, Anniversaries, and Days of Fasting
Feast of Naw-Ruz (Baha'i New Year), March 21.
Feast of Ridvan (Declaration of Baha'u'llah), April 21-May 2.
Declaration of the Bab, May 23.(33)
Ascension of Baha'u'llah, May 29.
Martyrdom of the Bab, July 9.
Birth of the Bab, October 20.
Birth of Baha'u'llah, November 12.
Day of the Covenant, November 26.
Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Baha, November 28.
Period of the Fast, nineteen days beginning March 2.
Feasts
The essential joyousness of the Baha'i religion finds expression in
numerous feasts and holidays throughout the year.
In a talk on the Feast of Naw-Ruz, in Alexandria, Egypt, in 1912,
'Abdu'l-Baha said:--
In the sacred laws of God, in every cycle and dispensation there
are blessed feasts, holidays and workless days. On such days all
kinds of occupations, commerce, industry, agriculture, etc.,
should be suspended.
All should rejoice together, hold general meetings, become as one
assembly, so that the national oneness, unity and harmony may be
demonstrated in the eyes of all.
As it is a blessed day it should not be neglected, nor deprived of
results by making it a day devoted to the pursuit of mere
pleasure.
During such days institutions should be founded that may be of
permanent benefit and value to the people....
Today there is no result or fruit greater than guiding the people.
Undoubtedly the friends of God, upon such a day, must leave
tangible philanthropic or ideal traces that should reach all
mankind and not pertain only to the Baha'is. In this wonderful
dispensation, philanthropic affairs are for all humanity without
exception, because it is the manifestation of the mercifulness of
God. Therefore, my hope is that the friends of God, every one of
them, may become as the mercy of God to all mankind.
The Feasts of Naw-Ruz (New Year) and Ridvan, the Anniversaries of the
Birth of the Bab and Baha'u'llah, and of the Bab's Declaration (which is
also the birthday of 'Abdu'l-Baha) are the great joy-days of the year for
Baha'is. In Persia they are celebrated by picnics or festal gatherings at
which music, the chanting of verses and tablets, and short addresses
suitable to the occasion are contributed by those present. The intercalary
days between the eighteenth and nineteenth months (that is, February 26 to
March 1 inclusive) are specially devoted to hospitality to friends, the
giving of presents, ministering to the poor and sick, et cetera.
The anniversaries of the martyrdom of the Bab and the departure of
Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha are celebrated with solemnity by appropriate
meetings and discourses, the chanting of prayers and Tablets.
Fast
The nineteenth month, following immediately on the hospitality of the
intercalary days, is the month of the fast. During nineteen days the fast
is observed by abstaining from both food and drink from sunrise to sunset.
As the month of the fast ends at the March equinox, the fast always falls
in the same season, namely, spring in the Northern, and autumn in the
Southern, Hemisphere; never in the extreme heart of summer nor in the
extreme cold of winter, when hardship would be likely to result. At that
season, moreover, the interval between sunrise and sunset is approximately
the same all over the habitable portion of the globe, namely, from about 6
A.M. to 6 P.M. The fast is not binding on children and invalids, on
travelers, or on those who are too old or too weak (including women who
are with child or have babes at the breast).
There is much evidence to show that a periodical fast such as is enjoined
by the Baha'i teachings is beneficial as a measure of physical hygiene,
but just as the reality of the Baha'i fast does not lie in the consumption
of physical food, but in the commemoration of God, which is our spiritual
food, so the reality of the Baha'i fast does not consist in abstention
from physical food, although that may help in the purification of the
body, but in the abstention from the desires and lusts of the flesh, and
in severance from all save God. 'Abdu'l-Baha says:--
Fasting is a symbol. Fasting signifies abstinence from lust.
Physical fasting is a symbol of that abstinence, and is a
reminder; that is, just as a person abstains from physical
appetites, he is to abstain from self-appetites and self-desires.
But mere abstention from food has no effect on the spirit. It is
only a symbol, a reminder. Otherwise it is of no importance.
Fasting for this purpose does not mean entire abstinence from
food. The golden rule as to food is, do not take too much or too
little. Moderation is necessary. There is a sect in India who
practice extreme abstinence, and gradually reduce their food until
they exist on almost nothing. But their intelligence suffers. A
man is not fit to do service for God with brain or body if he is
weakened by lack of food. He cannot see clearly. (quoted by Miss
E. S. Stevens in Fortnightly Review, June 1911).
Meetings
'Abdu'l-Baha attaches the greatest important to regular meetings of the
believers for united worship, for the exposition and study of the
teachings and for consultation regarding the progress of the Movement. In
one of His Tablets He says:--
It hath been decided by the Desire of God that union and harmony
may day by day increase among the friends of God and the handmaids
of the Merciful. Not until this is realized will the affairs
advance by any means whatever! And the greatest means for the
union and harmony of all are Spiritual Meetings. This matter is
very important and is as a magnet to attract divine confirmation.
In the spiritual meetings of Baha'is contentious argument and the
discussion of political or worldly affairs must be avoided; the sole aim
of the believers should be to teach and learn Divine Truth, to have their
hearts filled with Divine Love, to attain more perfect obedience to the
Divine Will, and to promote the coming of the Kingdom of God. In an
address given at New York in 1912, 'Abdu'l-Baha said:--
The Baha'i meeting must be the meeting of the Celestial Concourse.
It must be illumined by the lights of the Celestial Concourse. The
hearts must be as mirrors wherein the lights of the Sun of Truth
shall be revealed. Every bosom must be as a telegraph station: one
terminal of the wire shall be in the bosom of the soul, the other
in the Celestial Concourse, so that messages may be exchanged
between them. In this way from the Abha Kingdom inspiration shall
flow and in all discussions harmony shall prevail.... The more
agreement, unity and love prevail among you, the more shall the
confirmations of God assist you, and the help and aid of the
Blessed Beauty, Baha'u'llah, support you.
In one of His Tablets He said:--
In these meetings outside conversation must be entirely avoided,
and the gathering must be confined to chanting the verses and
reading the words, and to matters which concern the Cause of God,
such as explaining proofs, adducing clear and manifest evidences,
and tracing the signs of the Beloved One of the creatures. Those
who attend the meeting must, before entering, be arrayed with the
utmost cleanliness and turn to the Abha Kingdom, and then enter
the meeting with all meekness and humbleness; and while the
tablets are being read, must be quiet and silent; and if one
wishes to speak he must do so with all courtesy, with the
satisfaction and permission of those present, and do it with
eloquence and fluency.
The Nineteen Day Feast
With the development of the Baha'i administrative order since the
ascension of 'Abdu'l-Baha, the Nineteen Day Feast, observed on the first
day of each Baha'i month, has assumed a very special importance, providing
as it does not only for community prayer and reading from the Holy Books,
but also for general consultation on all current Baha'i affairs and for
the association of the friends together. This Feast is the occasion when
the Spiritual Assembly makes its reports to the community and invites both
discussion of plans and suggestions for new and better methods of service.
Mashriqu'l-Adhkar(34)
Baha'u'llah left instructions that temples of worship should be built by
His followers in every country and city. To these temples He gave the name
of "Ma_sh_riqu'l-A_dh_kar," which means "Dawning Place of God's Praise."
The Ma_sh_riqu'l-A_dh_kar is to be a nine-sided building surmounted by a
dome, and as beautiful as possible in design and workmanship. It is to
stand in a large garden adorned with fountains, trees and flowers,
surrounded by a number of accessory buildings devoted to educational,
charitable and social purposes, so that the worship of God in the temple
may always be closely associated with reverent delight in the beauties of
nature and of art, and with practical work for the amelioration of social
conditions.(35)
In Persia, up till the present, Baha'is have been debarred from building
temples for public worship, and so the first great Ma_sh_riqu'l-A_dh_kar
was built in I_sh_qabad,(36) Russia. 'Abdu'l-Baha dedicated the site of
the second Baha'i House of Worship, to stand on the shore of Lake Michigan
a few miles north of Chicago, during His visit to America in 1912.(37)
In tablets referring to this "Mother Temple" of the West, 'Abdu'l-Baha
writes as follows:--
Praise be to God, that, at this moment, from every country in the
world, according to their various means, contributions are
continually being sent toward the fund of the
Ma_sh_riqu'l-A_dh_kar in America.... From the day of Adam until
now, such a thing has never been witnessed by man, that from the
furthermost country of Asia contributions were forwarded to
America. This is through the power of the Covenant of God. Verily
this is a cause of astonishment for the people of perception. It
is hoped that the believers of God may show magnanimity and raise
a great sum for the building.... I want everyone left free to act
as he wills. If anyone wishes to put money into other things, let
him do so. Do not interfere with him in any way, but be assured
that the most important thing at this time is the building of the
Ma_sh_riqu'l-A_dh_kar.
... The mystery of the edifice is great, and cannot be unveiled
yet, but its erection is the most important undertaking of this
day. The Ma_sh_riqu'l-A_dh_kar has important accessories, which
are accounted of the basic foundations. These are: school for
orphan children, hospital and dispensary for the poor, home for
the incapable, college for the higher scientific education, and
hospice. In every city a great Ma_sh_riqu'l-A_dh_kar must be
founded after this order. In the Ma_sh_riqu'l-A_dh_kar services
will be held every morning. There will be no organ in the Temple.
In buildings nearby, festivals, services, conventions, public
meetings and spiritual gatherings will be held, but in the Temple
the chanting and singing will be unaccompanied. Open ye the gates
of the Temple to all mankind.
When these institutions, college, hospital, hospice and
establishment for the incurables, university for the study of
higher sciences, giving post-graduate courses, and other
philanthropic buildings are built, the doors will be opened to all
the nations and religions. There will be absolutely no line of
demarcation drawn. Its charities will be dispense irrespective of
color or race. Its gates will be flung wide open to mankind;
prejudice towards none, love for all. The central building will be
devoted to the purpose of prayer and worship. Thus ... religion
will become harmonized with science, and science will be the
handmaid of religion, both showering their material and spiritual
gifts on all humanity.
Life After Death
Baha'u'llah tells us that the life in the flesh is but the embryonic stage
of our existence, and that escape from the body is like a new birth
through which the human spirit enters on a fuller, freer life. He writes:--
Know thou of a truth that the soul, after its separation from the
body, will continue to progress until it attaineth the presence of
God, in a state and condition which neither the revolution of ages
and centuries, nor the changes and chances of this world, can
alter. It will endure as long as the Kingdom of God, His
sovereignty, His dominion and power will endure. It will manifest
the signs of God and His attributes, and will reveal His loving
kindness and bounty. The movement of My Pen is stilled when it
attempteth to befittingly describe the loftiness and glory of so
exalted a station. The honor with which the Hand of Mercy will
invest the soul is such as no tongue can adequately reveal, nor
any other earthly agency describe. Blessed is the soul which, at
the hour of its separation from the body, is sanctified from the
vain imaginings of the peoples of the world. Such a soul liveth
and moveth in accordance with the Will of its Creator, and
entereth the all-highest Paradise. The Maids of Heaven, inmates of
the loftiest mansions, will circle around it, and the Prophets of
God and His chosen ones will seek its companionship. With them
that soul will freely converse, and will recount unto them that
which it hath been made to endure in the path of God, the Lord of
all worlds. If any man be told that which hath been ordained for
such a soul in the worlds of God, the Lord of the throne on high
and of earth below, his whole being will instantly blaze out in
his great longing to attain that most exalted, that sanctified and
resplendent station.... The nature of the soul after death can
never be described, nor is it meet and permissible to reveal its
whole character to the eyes of men. The Prophets and Messengers of
God have been sent down for the sole purpose underlying their
revelation hath been to educate all men, that they may, at the
hour of death, ascend, in the utmost purity and sanctity and with
absolute detachment, to the throne of the Most High. The light
which these souls radiate is responsible for the progress of the
world and the advancement of its peoples. They are like unto
leaven which leaveneth the world of being, and constitute the
animating force through which the arts and wonders of the world
are made manifest. Through them the clouds rain their bounty upon
men, and the earth bringeth forth its fruits. All things must
needs have a cause, a motive power, an animating principle. These
souls and symbols of detachment have provided, and will continue
to provide, the supreme moving impulse in the world of being. The
world beyond is as different from this world as this world is
different from that of the child while still in the womb of its
mother.--Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, pp. 155-157.
Similarly, 'Abdu'l-Baha writes:--
The mysteries of which man is heedless in the earthly world, those
will he discover in the heavenly world, and there will he be
informed of the secrets of the truth; how much more will he
recognize or discover persons with whom he has been associated.
Undoubtedly the holy souls who find a pure eye and are favored
with insight will, in the kingdom of lights, be acquainted with
all mysteries, and will seek the bounty of witnessing the reality
of every great soul. They will even manifestly behold the Beauty
of God in that world. Likewise will they find all the friends of
God, both those of the former and recent times, present in the
heavenly assemblage.
The difference and distinction between men will naturally become
realized after their departure from this mortal world. But this
distinction is not in respect to place, but in respect to the soul
and the conscience. For the Kingdom of God is sanctified (or free)
from time and place; it is another world and another universe. And
know thou for a certainty that in the divine worlds the spiritual
beloved ones will recognize one another, and will seek union with
each other, but a spiritual union. Likewise a love that one may
have entertained for anyone will not be forgotten in the world of
the Kingdom, nor wilt thou forget there the life that thou hadst
in the material world.
Heaven and Hell
Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha regard the descriptions of Heaven and Hell
given in some of the older religious writings as symbolic, like the
Biblical story of the Creation, and not as literally true. According to
Them, Heaven is the state of perfection, and Hell that of imperfection;
Heaven is harmony with God's will and with our fellows, and Hell is the
want of such harmony; Heaven is the condition of spiritual life, and Hell
that of spiritual death. A man may be either in Heaven or in Hell while
still in the body. The joys of Heaven are spiritual joys; and the pains of
Hell consist in the deprivation of these joys.
'Abdu'l-Baha says:
When they [men] are delivered through the light of faith from the
darkness of these vices, and become illuminated with the radiance
of the sun of reality, and ennobled with all the virtues, they
esteem this the greatest reward, and they know it to be the true
paradise. In the same way they consider that the spiritual
punishment ... is to be subjected to the world of nature, to be
veiled from God, to be brutal and ignorant, to fall into carnal
lusts, to be absorbed in animal frailties, to be characterized
with dark qualities ... these are the greatest punishments and
tortures....
... The rewards of the other world are the perfections and the
peace obtained in the spiritual worlds after leaving this world
... the spiritual graces, the various spiritual gifts in the
Kingdom of God, the gaining of the desires of the heart and the
soul, and the meeting of God in the world of eternity. In the same
way the punishments of the other world ... consist in being
deprived of the special divine blessings and the absolute
bounties, and falling into the lowest degrees of existence. He who
is deprived of these divine favours, although he continues after
death, is considered as dead by the people of truth.
The wealth of the other world is nearness to God. Consequently it
is certain that those who are near the Divine Court are allowed to
intercede, and this intercession is approved by God....
It is even possible that the condition of those who have died in
sin and unbelief may become changed; that is to say, they may
become the object of pardon through the bounty of God, not through
His justice; for bounty if giving without desert, and justice is
giving what is deserved. As we have the power to pray for these
souls here, so likewise we shall possess the same power in the
other world, which is the Kingdom of God.... Therefore in that
world also they can make progress. As here they can receive light
by their supplications, there also they can plead for forgiveness,
and receive light through entreaties and supplications.
Both before and after putting off this material form, there is
progress in perfection, but not in state.... There is no other
being higher than a perfect man. But man when he has reached this
state can still make progress in perfections but not in state,
because there is no state higher than that of a perfect man to
which he can transfer himself. He only progresses in the state of
humanity, for the human perfections are infinite. Thus however
learned a man may be, we can imagine one more learned.
Hence, as the perfections of humanity are endless, man can also
make progress in perfections after leaving this world.--Some
Answered Questions, pp. 260, 261, 268, 269, 274.
Oneness of the Two Worlds
The unity of humanity as taught by Baha'u'llah refers not only to men
still in the flesh, but to all human beings, whether embodied or
disembodied. Not only all men now living on the earth, but all in the
spiritual world as well, are parts of one and the same organism and these
two parts are intimately dependent, one on the other. Spiritual communion
one with the other, far from being impossible or unnatural, is constant
and inevitable. Those whose spiritual faculties are as yet undeveloped are
unconscious of this vital connection, but as one's faculties develop,
communications with those beyond the veil gradually become more conscious
and definite. To the Prophets and saints this spiritual communion is as
familiar and real as are ordinary vision and conversation to the rest of
mankind.
'Abdu'l-Baha says:--
The visions of the Prophets are not dreams; no, they are spiritual
discoveries and have reality. They say, for example: "I saw a
person in a certain form, and I said such a thing, and he gave
such an answer." This vision is in the world of wakefulness, and
not in that of sleep. Nay, it is a spiritual discovery....
... Among spiritual souls there are spiritual understandings,
discoveries, a communion which is purified from imagination and
fancy, an association which is sanctified from time and place. So
it is written in the Gospel that on Mount Tabor, Moses and Elias
came to Christ, and it is evident that this was not a material
meeting. It was a spiritual condition....
... [Communications such as] these are real, and produce wonderful
effects in the minds and thoughts of men, and cause their hearts
to be attracted.--Some Answered Questions, pp. 290, 291, 292.
While admitting the reality of "supernormal" psychic faculties He
deprecates attempts to force their development prematurely. These
faculties will unfold naturally when the right time comes, if we only
follow the path of spiritual progress which the Prophets have traced for
us. He says:--
To tamper with psychic forces while in this world interferes with
the condition of the soul in the world to come. These forces are
real, but, normally, are not active on this plane. The child in
the womb has its eyes, ears, hands, feet, etc., but they are not
in activity. The whole purpose of life in the material world is
the coming forth into the world of Reality, where those forces
will become active. They belong to that world. (from Miss
Buckton's notes, revised by 'Abdu'l-Baha).
Intercourse with spirits of the departed ought not to be sought for its
own sake, nor in order to gratify idle curiosity. It is both a privilege
and duty, however, for those on one side of the veil to love and help and
pray for those on the other. Prayers for the dead are enjoined on Baha'is.
'Abdu'l-Baha said to Miss E. J. Rosenberg in 1904: "The grace of effective
intercession is one of the perfections belonging to advanced souls, as
well as to the Manifestation of God. Jesus Christ had the power of
interceding for the forgiveness of His enemies when on earth, and He
certainly has this power now. 'Abdu'l-Baha never mentions the name of a
dead person without saying 'May God forgive him!' or words to that effect.
Followers of the prophets have also this power of praying for the
forgiveness of souls. Therefore we may not think that any souls are
condemned to a stationary condition of suffering or loss arising from
absolute ignorance of God. The power of effective intercession for them
always exists....
"The rich in the other world can help the poor, as the rich can help the
poor here. In every world all are the creatures of God. They are always
dependent on Him. They are not independent and can never be so. While they
are needful of God, the more they supplicate, the richer they become. What
is their merchandise, their wealth? In the other world what is help and
assistance? It is intercession. Undeveloped souls must gain progress at
first through the supplications of the spiritually rich; afterwards they
can progress through their own supplications."
Again He says:--"Those who have ascended have different attributes from
those who are still on earth, yet there is no real separation.
"In prayer there is a mingling of station, a mingling of condition. Pray
for them as they pray for you!"--'Abdu'l-Baha in London, p. 97.
Asked whether it was possible through faith and love to bring the New
Revelation to the knowledge of those who have departed from this life
without hearing of it, 'Abdu'l-Baha replied:--"Yes, surely! since sincere
prayer always has its effect, and it has a great influence in the other
world. We are never cut off from those who are there. The real and genuine
influence is not in this world but in that other."--Notes of Mary Hanford
Ford: Paris, 1911.
On the other hand, Baha'u'llah writes:--
He who lives according to what is ordained for him--the Celestial
Concourse, and the people of the Supreme Paradise, and those who
are dwelling in the Dome of Greatness will pray for him, by a
Command from God, the Dearest and the praiseworthy. (Tablet
translated by 'Ali Kuli _Kh_an).
When 'Abdu'l-Baha was asked how it was that the heart often turns with
instinctive appeal to some friend who has passed into the next life, He
answered:--"It is a law of God's creation that the weak should lean upon
the strong. Those to whom you turn may be mediators of God's power to you,
even as when on earth. But it is the One Holy Spirit that strengthens all
men."--'Abdu'l-Baha in London, p. 98.
The Nonexistence of Evil
According to Baha'i philosophy it follows from the doctrine of the unity
of God that there can be no such thing as positive evil. There can only be
one Infinite. If there were any other power in the universe outside of or
opposed to the One, then the One would not be infinite. Just as darkness
is but the absence or lesser degree of light, so evil is but the absence
or lesser degree of good--the undeveloped state. A bad man is a man with
the higher side of his nature still undeveloped. If he is selfish, the
evil is not in his love of self--all love, even self-love, is good, is
divine. The evil is that he has such a poor, inadequate, misguided love of
self and such a lack of love for others and for God. He looks upon himself
as only a superior sort of animal, and foolishly pampers his lower nature
as he might pamper a pet dog--with worse results in his own case than in
that of the dog.
In one of His letters 'Abdu'l-Baha says:--
As to thy remark, that 'Abdu'l-Baha hath said to some of the
believers that evil never exists, nay rather, it is a nonexistent
thing, this is but truth, inasmuch as the greatest evil is man's
going astray and being veiled from truth. Error is lack of
guidance; darkness is absence of light; ignorance is lack of
knowledge; falsehood is lack of truthfulness; blindness is lack of
sight; and deafness is lack of hearing. Therefore, error,
blindness, deafness and ignorance are nonexistent things.
Again He says:--
In creation there is no evil; all is good. Certain qualities and
natures innate in some men and apparently blameworthy are not so
in reality. For example, from the beginning of his life you can
see in a nursing child the signs of desire, of anger, and of
temper. Then, it may be said, good and evil are innate in the
reality of man, and this is contrary to the pure goodness of
nature and creation. The answer to this is that desire, which is
to ask for something more, is a praiseworthy quality provided that
it is used suitably. So, if a man has the desire to acquire
science and knowledge, or to become compassionate, generous and
just, it is most praiseworthy. If he exercises his anger and wrath
against the bloodthirsty tyrants who are like ferocious beasts, it
is very praiseworthy; but if he does not use these qualities in a
right way, they are blameworthy....
... It is the same with all the natural qualities of man, which
constitute the capital of life; if they be used and displayed in
an unlawful way, they become blameworthy. Therefore it is clear
that creation is purely good.--Some Answered Questions, pp. 250,
251.
Evil is always lack of life. If the lower side of man's nature is
disproportionately developed, the remedy is not less life for that side,
but more life for the higher side, so that the balance may be restored. "I
am come," said Christ, "that ye may have life and that ye may have it more
abundantly." That is what we all need--life, more life, the life that is
life indeed! Baha'u'llah's message is the same as Christ's. "Today," He
says, "this servant has assuredly come to vivify the world" (Tablet to
Ra'is), and to His followers He says: "Come ye after Me, that We may make
you to become quickeners of mankind." (Tablet to the Pope.)